Sports Illustrated – Michael Jordan’s 50th Celebration Cover

Michael Jordan turns 50 this Sunday, and Sports Illustrated is honoring the milestone by putting MJ on the cover of its February 18th issue, marking a record fifty times that His Airness has graced the cover of the landmark sports publication. The happy confluence of events is fittingly captured with an image of Michael in mid-air, executing the iconic free throw-line dunk that would win him the 1988 Slam Dunk contest at the old Chicago Stadium. The cover story by Phil Taylor explores the lasting effect that Jordan has had on the world of sports, while another feature showcase all 50 covers on which Jordan has appeared. Check out some of those past covers below (a full online gallery can be seen here), and look for the February 18th issue to land in newsstands next week.